Manufacturing hydrocarbon products



Sept. 27, 1932. w, O N 1,880,189

MANUFACTURING HYDROCARBON ROLL TI Filed July 9, 1925 )Rsuzr V n s COOLER \A/ALWR Q SNELLmQ T avweutoz Patented Sept. 27, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WALTER O. SNELLING, OF ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, 'lO GASOLINE PRODUCTS COMPANY, INC, F WILMINGTON, DELAWARE,

A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE MANUFACTURING HYDROCARBON PRODUCTS Appllcatlon filed July 9,

The present invention relates to the heat treatment of hydrocarbon materials and the production of valuable products there from. The invention particularly refers to the subjection of normally gaseous hydrocarbons to high pressure and temperature, whereby heavier, higher boiling, normally liquid bydrocarbons are produced. My invention will be fully understood from the following description and the attached drawing which illustrates diagrammatically one form of the apparatus contemplated herein.

In the drawing, 1 is a suitable source for the light gaseous hydrocarbon material, which may be natural gas, or gas resulting from the destructive decomposition of coal or hydrocarbon oils. Two compressors, 2a and 2b, which are shown in series as low pressure and high pressure stages respectively, are provided with a condensate drum 3 between the two. A furnace setting 4 is provided for the purpose of supplying heat to a heating and converting zone 5, made up of heavy walled tubes connected to form a continuous coil. A gauge 6 indicates the pressure at the outlet 6a of said coil, and a cooler 7 is provided to reduce the temperature of the products therefrom before they are discharged into a vapor separator 8 with a simultaneous re duction of pressure by the valve 6b, if so desired. Line 9 conducts vapor products from the separator to the higher stage compressor 2b, and relief valve 9a is provided to allow the escape of gases if and when esired. The liquid products in separator 8 ow by line 10 to a cooler 11, and line 10a leads then from cooler 11 to a vent tank 12. Pressure is released at valve 13 in line 10a, and tank 12 is vented to the lower stage compressor 2a by a pipe 14. Liquid is withdrawn from 12 by line 15 to suitable storage (not shown), and the condensate in drum 3 is conducted to tank 12 by line 16 and thence to storage.

In the operation of my process the gaseous hydrocarbons are drawn from the source 1 and compressed by the low stage compressor In, whereupon any stable liquid product in said gas will be liquefied and trapped out in drum 3, from which it is led to vent tank 12,

1928. Serial No. 121,367.

either intermittently or continuously. The gaseous products from 3 are further compressed by compressor 2/) and heated to a. reaction temperature in coil 5. Furnace 4 is adapted to heat the highly compressed roduct and to prevent local overheating an consequent distortion of the tubes. For this purpose clectrical heating may be utilized. The heat treated products are then cooled in a cooler 7, the pressure reduced, if so desired, and the condensed liquid product collected in separator 8. Gaseous products are returned to compressor 26 for further treatment, and the scpa rated liquid, which contains dissolved gases, is further cooled in cooler 11. Pressure is released at valve 13 and the gases dissolved are vented in tank 12, the gases being returned to compressor 2a and the liquid flowing to storage.

In my prior applications hereinafter re ferred to I have described the treatment of gases at a high temperature and under suitable heavy pressures, and have referred therein to the use of pressure over and above 800 pounds per square inch and as high as 2000 pounds per square inch.

The temperatures preferably used in my process range from 750 F. to 1200 F., and the pressures from 800 to 3000 lbs. per sq. in. It has been found that the more volatile products require higher pressures. I offer no explanation or theory of the changes involved but content myself with recording the observed facts, of which the following are illustrative:

A light compression product, having a gravity of 97 B., was obtained by weathering a casinghead gasoline, and by subjecting said material to the above-mentioned conditions a considerable quantity of a product having a gravity of 68-70 B. was produced. In other experiments a natural gas consisting largely of mcthan". ethane, propane and butane was subjected to heat and pressure treatment, as described. A condcnsiblc product was obtained which contained considerable quantities of hydrocarbons boiling within the range of commercial gasoline.

The process and apparatus described above llltl are subject to many moditications. There may be several stages of compression instead of two, and the higher boiling products may l e collected or separated in any lillUWIl manner: for example, by absorption in a heavier oil. or by absorption or adsorption on charcoal or products of similar properties. Fractionatiug apparatus may be incorporated in the recovery system. The process may be advantageously combined with the ordinary processes for the pyrolysis of hydrocarbon oils, wherein an excess of gaseous materials is produced.

My invention is not to be considered limited by the exact methods set forth in the examples, which are illustrative only, but by the appended claims, wherein I intend to claim all novelty inherent in my invention as may be permissible in view of the prior art.

The present application is a continuation in part of my earlier application, Serial No. 595,107, which was tiled October 17, 1022 and which is a renewal of the forfeited application 26,110, tiled May 5, 1015. The last mentioned application is a continuation-in-part of my application 800.321 filed November 11, 1913. Application 505.107 matured into Patent No. 1,024,848 on April 12, 1927.

I claim:

A process for producing heavier higher boiling normally liquid products from lighter normally gaseous hydrocarbon matcrials of the mt thane series which comprises subjecting said normally gaseous materials to temperatures in excess of 750 F. while maintaining them under a pressure between about 800 and about 3000 pounds per square inch, and recovering the higher boiling products thereby produced.

2. A process for producing heavier higher boiling normally liquid products from lighter normally gaseous hydrocarbon materials of the methane series which comprises subjecting said normally gaseous materials to temperatures between about 750 F. and about 1200 F. while maintain ng them under a pressure between about 800 and about 3000 pounds per square inch, and recovering the higher boiling products thereby produced.

:3. A process for producing heavier higher boiling normally liquid products from lighter normally gaseous hydrocarbon materials of the methane series which comprises subjecting said normally gaseous materials to temperatures in excess of 750 F. while maintaining them under a pressure between about 800 and about 2000 pounds per square inch. and recovering the higher boiling prodnets thereby produced.

4. A process for producing heavier higher bo ling normally liquid products from lighter normallv gas ou hydrcarbon ma tcrials of the methane eri. s which comprises subjecting said normally gaseous materials to temperatures between about 750 F. and 1300 I. while maintaining them under a pressure between about 800 and about 3000 pounds per square inch, and recovering the higher boiling products thereby produced.

5. A process for converting normall gaseous hydrocarbons of the methane series into normally liquid hydrocarbons, which com prises subjecting said normally gaseous ma terials to a temperature in excess of 750 l and a pressure between about 800 and about 3000 lbs. per sq. in., separating under a supertltll'lOSPllPllC pressure below that maintained during said conversion operation the normally liquid products formed thereby, and returning unconverted materials to the process.

6. A )rocess for converting normally gase ous hydrocarbons of the methane series to normally liquid hydrocarbon products, which comprises subjecting said normally gaseous hydrocarbons of the methane series to a temperature between about 750 and about 1200 1 1, while under a pressure between about 800 and about 3000 lbs. per sq. in., cooling said materials and reducing said pressure, sepa rating the normally liquid products from unconverted gases by condensation, and returning at least a portion of said gases to the conversion process.

7. A )IOCESS for producing heavier, normally liquid higher boiling hydrocarbons from lighter, more volatile normally gaseous hydrocarbon materials of the methane series, which comprises subjecting said gaseous materials to conditions of temperatures between 750 and 1200 F. and pressure between 200 and 3,000 pounds per square inch, condensing and separating the higher boiling products produced thereby, and returning selected portions of the gaseous products for further treatment in the system.

8. A process for producing higher boiling normally liquid hydrocarbons from lighter normally gaseous hydrocarbon materials of the methane series comprising subjecting said gaseous lighter hydrocarbons to a high pressure, removing the liquid condensed by such high pressure to storage, further compressing the uncondensed gases to a pressure between 800 and 3,000 pounds per square inch, and then passing the gases through a heating coil where they are subjected to temperatures between 750 F. and 1200 F., passing the heated vapors through a cooler, thence through a pressure reduction valve to a gas separator, and then returning at least a portion of the uncondenscd gases for further treatment.

0. A process for producing heavier higher boiling normally liquid products from a normally gaseous mixture containing normally gaseous hydrocarbons of the methane seri and produced by the destructive dec. mposition of hydrocarbon materials which co1nprises subjecting said normally gaseous mixture to temperatures in excess of 750 F. while maintaining it under a. pressure between about 800 and about 3000 pounds per square inch, and recovering the higher boiling products thereby produced.

10. A process for producing heavier higher boiling normally iquid products from a normally gaseous mixture containing normally gaseous hydrocarbons of the methane series and produced by the destructive decomposition of hydrocarbon materials which comprises subjecting said normall gaseous mixture to temperatures between a out 750 F. and about 1200 F. while maintaining it under a pressure between about 800 and about 3000 pounds per square inch, and recovering the higher boiling products thereby produced.

11. A process for producing heavier higher boiling normally liquid products from a normally gaseous mixture containing normally gaseous hydrocarbons of the methane series and, produced by the destructive decomposition of hydrocarbon materials which comprises subjecting said normally gaseous mixture to tem eratures in excess of 750 F. while maintainin it under a pressure between about 800 an about 2000 pounds per square inch, and recovering the higher boiling products thereby produced.

12. A process for producing heavier higher boiling normally liquid products from a normally gaseous mixture containing normally gaseous hydrocarbons of the methane series and produced by the destructive decomposition of hydrocarbon materials which comprises subjecting said normall gaseous mixture to temperatures between a out 750 F. and 1200 F. while maintainin it under a pressure between about 800 and a ut 2000 pounds per square inch, and recovering the higher boilin products thereby produced.

WALTER O. SNELLING.

CERTIFIGA'IE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,880,189. September 27, 1932.

WALTER 0. SNELLING.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 101, claim 7, for the number "200" read 800; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 8th day of November, A. D. 1932.

M. J. Moore,

(Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

ture to temperatures in excess of 750 F. while maintaining it under a. pressure between about 800 and about 3000 pounds per square inch, and recovering the higher boiling products thereby produced.

10. A process for producing heavier higher boiling normally iquid products from a normally gaseous mixture containing normally gaseous hydrocarbons of the methane series and produced by the destructive decomposition of hydrocarbon materials which comprises subjecting said normall gaseous mixture to temperatures between a out 750 F. and about 1200 F. while maintaining it under a pressure between about 800 and about 3000 pounds per square inch, and recovering the higher boiling products thereby produced.

11. A process for producing heavier higher boiling normally liquid products from a normally gaseous mixture containing normally gaseous hydrocarbons of the methane series and, produced by the destructive decomposition of hydrocarbon materials which comprises subjecting said normally gaseous mixture to tem eratures in excess of 750 F. while maintainin it under a pressure between about 800 an about 2000 pounds per square inch, and recovering the higher boiling products thereby produced.

12. A process for producing heavier higher boiling normally liquid products from a normally gaseous mixture containing normally gaseous hydrocarbons of the methane series and produced by the destructive decomposition of hydrocarbon materials which comprises subjecting said normall gaseous mixture to temperatures between a out 750 F. and 1200 F. while maintainin it under a pressure between about 800 and a ut 2000 pounds per square inch, and recovering the higher boilin products thereby produced.

WALTER O. SNELLING.

CERTIFIGA'IE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. l, 880, 189.

WALTER 0. SNELLING.

September 27, 1932.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 101, claim 7, for the number "200" read 800; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 8th day of November, A. D. 1932.

(Sea!) M. J. Moore, Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

